Scale & Polish

During your regular visit to the dentist, they may wish to perform a scale and polish and the chances are, you have already been through this but may not have even noticed. The first part of this process refers to the dentists tools. An electric scaler is a type of tool which aids scraping of the teeth. This can be done via other methods too such as using high frequency ultrasonic scalers. The aim is essentially the same and that is to really clean each tooth to their best. This restores teeth properly as the dentist is able to get below the gum line too. The next step in the cleaning process is to gently polish each tooth. This is to ensure that the scaling has not damaged the enamel.

Although this process may seem a little invasive at first, it really is necessary to help prevent problems from arising later on. Most people will have a spot in their mouth where they find it difficult to clean, this could be due to overlapping teeth and this is precisely where dental plaque can start to build up and cause problems. A scale and polish is one of the more basic procedures performed by your general dentist and will usually cost a very small amount.

Often the dentist will refer their patient to their in house hygienist, for the scale and polish.